From "first" to "last" steps in life – pressure patterns of three generations

BACKGROUND The human foot has to bear loads during all kinds of bipedal locomotion throughout the whole life. Rapid developmental changes of foot morphology and foot function occur during the first years of walking. Furthermore, disease dependent modifications can also have an influence on plantar loading. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that foot function will undergo changes in life. However, the main differences between the pressure patterns in young and elderly have not been well described. The aim of the study was to evaluate age-dependent pressure patterns in different age-related stages. METHODS Hundred and four healthy humans of four different age groups were retrospectively analysed by means of plantar pressure measurements (toddlers: mean age 1.0 (SD 0.2) year; 7-year olds: 7.0 (SD 0.4) years; adults: 31.9 (SD 2.1) years; seniors: 68.7 (SD 3.2) years). The emed pressure platform was used to evaluate peak pressure, maximum force, contact time, contact area and arch index. FINDINGS Significant differences were found for each parameter between almost every age group. The highest peak pressure values were observed for the seniors' (P<0.001). Peak pressures are low in toddlers (145 kPa), high in 7-year olds and adults (400-600 kPa) and even higher in elderly (> or =800 kPa). INTERPRETATION Elderly adults can still be functionally mobile even if pressures are high. The results for the investigated age groups can be used as normative foot loading data to compare to pathological foot function.